THOMAS JOSEPH

I am not sweating the managerial situation. It's far less important than other moves in the scheme of things. I suppose keeping someone around, continuity, has some merit. But let's not act as if there is a need to genuflect to the Tom Kellys of the world, as much as I liked Tom. More power to them and their organizations. But, to steal a line from Men in Black, that means exactly what to me? 
We've already seen the obligatory "Roberts does not get enough credit" blather. He's a magician who somehow (somehow!) kept all the egos in check long enough and overcame injuries (he had the only team that had injuries, of course) to win it all! Pay no attention to the $400 million payroll, or whatever it was. The mantra is par for the course from the tiresome parrots in mainstream baseball and want-to-be-relevant YouTubers. Had the Yankees won, of course, Boone would be the vindicated, misunderstood genius browbeaten by the unforgiving New York fans. The parrots: I told you so! I told you so! Boone will win! Boone will win! Put Roberts (or Boone) with the Pirates, Marlins, or Giants and see how it goes. No calls for the Hall of Fame then, I bet. So tiresome and so predictable. 
Luckily, the ubiquitous managerial carousel allows the middling guys who win tons regular season games to hang around long enough to get the "great" moniker. Great for attendance and fan interaction, which are legitimate value propositions, sure, I acknowledge it. But no one, and I mean no one, is satisfied with that, nor lots of division titles, for that matter. These are steppingstones to on-field success or they're balm for fans. Alternatively, why not just supply $350+ million payrolls for a decade until we get the proverbial blind squirrel outcome (or there's a surreal, unattended, contrived pandemic "tournament" we can masquerade as legitimate - we make the damn rules, you peasants)? 
Consider the handwringing, for example, that occurred when the Cubs ridiculously overpaid Craig Counsell, The Brewers are lost! The Brewers are lost! Maybe the Cubs will win a few World Series in the Counsell era. (Cough.) Yes, there are (apparent) exceptions, like Bruce Bochy, who seems to have the magic touch. Guys like Baker and Showalter and Cox, et al., lose and lose in the playoffs until they finally win after thirty years (it's a crapshoot, after all), and the drumbeating for the Hall of Fame begins because, well...they won a lot of regular season games, darn it! Fine fellows, all, I am sure. All those playoff losses, again and again, are just bad luck (no, it's a crapshoot). Otherwise, why would so many teams continue to lazily pick from the managerial carousel? We're the damn experts here and we prove it by recycling these guys who get really close! We had four numbers on the Powerball - we're close, I tell you! It's a modern Gnosticism in action. The secret knowledge of Magus Counsell or Magus Baker will take us to the promised land!
Even losers, when it suits the parrots, get the mantra that overrides the so-called meritocracy of baseball. Michael Kay can howl all he wants about how there's no one better to replace Boone. It's foolish to blame him, blah, blah. He got them to the World Series! Who would dare question his value? Only the Neanderthals who buy the tickets, merchandise, and subscriptions. Idiots! Don't they know we know how much the clubhouse loves Boone? New York is a tough place! New York is a tough place! If he can make it there... But he didn't make it, again. Cashman and Boone! Continuity! We are the Yankees, listen to us!
So, as counterintuitive as baseball often turns out (or because it's a crapshoot), the late- and/or third-choice managerial selection of the Marlins will be perfectly suitable. And, may I add, a whole lot cheaper than Counsell (genuflect). 

Look, blowing a seven-run lead is rare, but losing the game, to boot, truly hurts. Remember the 20th win in a row for the Oakland A's as depicted in "Moneyball?" The Royals stormed back from a huge deficit. Of course, Hatteberg's home run walks it off, and all is well - the win and the streak are saved. The Marlins loss to the Nationals on Sunday had no such happy ending. The team now owns the worst record in baseball. Peter Bendix is swimming against a tide of fan despair and anger.  We fans cannot see the entire picture - finances, internal discussions, expectations, and anticipated timelines are all unavailable. While I suspect the brain trust is honestly surprised at this level of ineptitude, they certainly WANT to win and draw fine crowds. Wags counter that these two obvious things are pollyannish or delusional. OK, fair enough. Win with these players? Ask people to attend games to see such a poor team, at an inconvenient ballpark, on top of past spurious situations? 
However, we must take a step back. For our mental health and because, well, it's only baseball and not life and death. I read several posts on "X" that call the year a total loss. Even if that is so, the season is qualified to be the often-rough start to important, systemic changes. It's a purge of our baseball system. We know the scouting and developmental foundation of the franchise must be amended. Low-income franchises must excel in this area to attain long-term competitiveness. We can look to the Orioles and Astros for comfort (or my oft-referenced Montreal Expos developmental prowess, starting from dead scratch as an expansion team in 1969).  We simply must acknowledge those teams' agonizing seasons as a component - medicine, so to speak - that has led to amazing success (Astros) and a current robust, young, exciting team (Orioles). Yet, it is important to realize those teams did/do not face the challenges the Marlins have when it comes to payroll limitations. 
Bendix is fighting a two-front war without the support of the civilian population (sorry for the martial metaphor). Perhaps (continuing with the metaphor), he will be our George Washington - losing many battles, but staying true to the disciplined plan, gaining strength, and prevailing.  If history, much less baseball history, reveals anything, it is that "hopeless" situations turn around and groups rise again. The Dodgers could spend their $3 billion in the next five years (to go along with the billions already spent in the Roberts era) and have only the pathetic 2020 fishbowl "championship" to show for it. Nothing is guaranteed. Atlanta won only one World Series in their dominating decade of the 1990s.
David Samson is right (cringe) when he states that he would rather have two championships in thirty years and stink for the other twenty-eight years than be "competitive" throughout and win nothing. No fan is truly happy being "competitive," or winning regular season games. Ask the Dodger fans if they would trade their great regular seasons. No one cares. Similarly, like Sunday's game, it hurts a lot more to lose that one than a 10-2 drubbing ever will. Yes, I realize the new playoff system is the impetus for a "just get in" mentality. That is smart and realistic - sorry. It will be the ticket for the Marlins again, as well. 
So, while we are rightly frustrated, embarrassed, and ticked off, let's give Bendix a chance. When the team wins number three, it will be incredibly sweet. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Marlins won number three before the Dodgers, Braves, or Yankees won it all again?  Oops!

Dear Miami Marlins Organization, 
Let’s start with a simple pop quiz about Miami baseball. What is significant about the year 1982 as it relates to Miami baseball?  
I was waiting to ask this question. You had just swept the Rockies and were heading to Oakland with a chance to start a streak and correct the hole that the team created. There was optimism and belief, but now you have decided that this season is over, and we must start again. 
I have been a fan since the major league baseball announced that Miami was given an expansion team. I have gone through multiple fire sales as a fan, hoping the last one was the last. But again, it appears history is repeating itself. Since it seems history is repeating itself, here are my questions: 
What is the vision of the team? Define Marlins culture. Besides the athletic attributes, what other characteristics are you looking for besides “asset value” in a player? Are you looking for players who have grit and determination? Do we have players who lead by example and players who are vocal and will hold other players accountable when the team is mired in mediocrity? Are you looking for players who will teach the younger players how to win? Are those players on the roster right now? Will you trade those players or keep them as part of your plan to rebuild the team? The problem with fire sales is that it creates a culture of losing and mediocrity. There is no player accountability. Why? Because upper management does not care about excellence. I challenge your analytics department to explain why my thesis is wrong and provide me with examples. Please find me a team that is continually in fire sale mode that creates a culture of excellence.  If I am right, why do we repeatedly do the same thing? The economics of the game is only a narrow part of analyzing a team. If the economics of the game is all that you value, then Mr. Sherman, please get more investors or sell the team to an ownership group committed to winning.  What revenue range should the Marlins need to be competitive in the free-agent market? I am sure that the organization has a number.  Please share that range.  I ask these questions because we expected this ownership group not to conduct fire sales. Teams go through growing pains, but this is getting ridiculous. Do I expect you to be the New York Yankees? No. The Yankees have history and tradition. But here’s what you have that very few major league baseball teams have-you are sitting on top of a culture of baseball excellence found in South Florida’s high schools and colleges. Put another way, you are a beggar sitting atop a gold mine and do not realize or appreciate it. 
Now, to answer the question, “What is the significance of 1982 in Miami baseball?” It was the year that the University of Miami won its first College World Series. From the years Ron Fraser coached to now, University of Miami baseball and excellence were synonymous. Besides that, multiple high schools, both private and public, have won state titles or were considered the elite in the state of Florida. If you are unaware of this history, then I suggest that the organization learn it well. If you need names, please let me know. This is the natural history of Miami baseball. Miami is more than a destination spot, the gateway to Latin America, or a spring training tradition. Our true history is in excellence and not being flashes in a pan. 
So, I look forward to reading your response. Silence is not optional. 
Sincerely, 
Arthur M. Freyre

Look, blowing a seven-run lead is rare, but losing the game, to boot, truly hurts. Remember the 20th win in a row for the Oakland A's as depicted in "Moneyball?" The Royals stormed back from a huge deficit. Of course, Hatteberg's home run walks it off, and all is well - the win and the streak are saved. The Marlins loss to the Nationals on Sunday had no such happy ending. The team now owns the worst record in baseball. Peter Bendix is swimming against a tide of fan despair and anger.  We fans cannot see the entire picture - finances, internal discussions, expectations, and anticipated timelines are all unavailable. While I suspect the brain trust is honestly surprised at this level of ineptitude, they certainly WANT to win and draw fine crowds. Wags counter that these two obvious things are pollyannish or delusional. OK, fair enough. Win with these players? Ask people to attend games to see such a poor team, at an inconvenient ballpark, on top of past spurious situations? 
However, we must take a step back. For our mental health and because, well, it's only baseball and not life and death. I read several posts on "X" that call the year a total loss. Even if that is so, the season is qualified to be the often-rough start to important, systemic changes. It's a purge of our baseball system. We know the scouting and developmental foundation of the franchise must be amended. Low-income franchises must excel in this area to attain long-term competitiveness. We can look to the Orioles and Astros for comfort (or my oft-referenced Montreal Expos developmental prowess, starting from dead scratch as an expansion team in 1969).  We simply must acknowledge those teams' agonizing seasons as a component - medicine, so to speak - that has led to amazing success (Astros) and a current robust, young, exciting team (Orioles). Yet, it is important to realize those teams did/do not face the challenges the Marlins have when it comes to payroll limitations. 
Bendix is fighting a two-front war without the support of the civilian population (sorry for the martial metaphor). Perhaps (continuing with the metaphor), he will be our George Washington - losing many battles, but staying true to the disciplined plan, gaining strength, and prevailing.  If history, much less baseball history, reveals anything, it is that "hopeless" situations turn around and groups rise again. The Dodgers could spend their $3 billion in the next five years (to go along with the billions already spent in the Roberts era) and have only the pathetic 2020 fishbowl "championship" to show for it. Nothing is guaranteed. Atlanta won only one World Series in their dominating decade of the 1990s.
David Samson is right (cringe) when he states that he would rather have two championships in thirty years and stink for the other twenty-eight years than be "competitive" throughout and win nothing. No fan is truly happy being "competitive," or winning regular season games. Ask the Dodger fans if they would trade their great regular seasons. No one cares. Similarly, like Sunday's game, it hurts a lot more to lose that one than a 10-2 drubbing ever will. Yes, I realize the new playoff system is the impetus for a "just get in" mentality. That is smart and realistic - sorry. It will be the ticket for the Marlins again, as well. 
So, while we are rightly frustrated, embarrassed, and ticked off, let's give Bendix a chance. When the team wins number three, it will be incredibly sweet. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Marlins won number three before the Dodgers, Braves, or Yankees won it all again?  Oops!

(Another archived rant that I wrote a while back.)
The oddness that was the 2020 season? Sixty games, ever-changing rules, no fans, neutral sites, and on and on with the inane pile emanating from that entire year of dog crap. I put no stock in any of it, including the so-called World Championship, which is a disgraceful doppelganger of real championship seasons. MLB should be embarrassed that they rammed through that makeshift crap. Of course, the owners are hardly guardians of the game's integrity. This is so only to the extent it affects business, which is not unreasonable per se. So, telling us moon-eyed, drooling fans that this disgrace of a season is equal to the other real seasons dilutes the value of the so-called World Championship. Thankfully, the Dodgers "won," and not the Marlins. Imagine the howls and gnashing of teeth had the Marlins won their THIRD championship since the last Dodger title in 1988. Oops! Since LA won, it is, certainly, legitimate. Sure, it is. MLB's pathetic owners are never done with their sullying of the National Pastime. That's the one area in which our current crop of POS owners excels! Accordingly, look for more uniform ad patches, including a brand name across the asses of players, and lots more gimmicky rule changes. We must change with the times, right? 

(Putting my Marlins and general baseball comments/rants here to get my new blog started. Here is one of 'em.)
Of course, Greg Maddux, Gaylord Perry, and Bert Blyleven would be slaughtered if they pitched in today's game. They didn't throw 97 mph. Pretenders! Then, the endlessly parroted gibberish goes like this: Starters don't go deep into games anymore. Those short starts add up and diminish the bullpen over the season. But we can't allow starters to go into the dreaded third time through the order, heaven forbid.! Baseball's league average over the years is ridiculously tepid, even after/with the "savior element" (the DH). Still, six innings is a quality start, and we should be so elated if there is one. Who can ask for any more than that for a guy making $25M to do so every five days? Luckily, though, the games are shorter, we monitor "disengagements," and have all sorts of cool video-game-esque stats on the screen to watch in between the pitch clock resets. Oh, and Jazz is on the cover of a video game, so he is awesome, dude (in the one-half of our games that he plays)! 

(Another beautiful rant from a bit ago.)
I agree that Miguel Cabrera has a HOF career resume. Moreover, Marlins fans identify him with their World Championship. But we need to be very real about the unmitigated disaster that his 8-year extension has been. The first year, 2016, was excellent (with a 7.4 WARP) and this would have been the time to move him at his peak value point, setting up the team’s future. Instead, the next seven years, SEVEN, are horrific by consuming a huge percentage of the team’s payroll in one ineffective player and taking up a valuable roster spot. Cabrera SEVEN-YEAR WARP from 2017 to 2023 is 5.1 (less than 0.75/year) at the cost of $216 million! That’s over $43 million for each win above replacement over the last seven years. Forty-three million dollars per over replacement win. Perhaps only Strasburg’s contract is arguably worse in the entire history of baseball. So, this future HOFer leaves the scene with the last SEVEN years of his career as an utter failure, not just mediocrity.  
Joey Votto, another player who may have a HOF case, is another unmitigated disaster for his Reds team. Votto’s ridiculously unwise extension, where he, too, should have been moved at a peak value registers a 7.4 WAR for the last SIX YEARS at a cost of over $150 million (1.23/year over that stretch). Perhaps more than Detroit, Votto’s anemic production has hamstrung his team, effectively flushing those years during which his salary was a preposterous percentage of their total payroll. Votto’s last six-year legacy is $20 million per over replacement wins. Twenty million dollars. Even the New York Mets are paying less than $1.9 million per win in this, their very disappointing season.  
Can anyone argue that these two men did not hamstring their clubs for six or seven seasons? Even if we remove the 2020 season from the equations, there is no redeeming quality. Fans may perceive a future HOF enshrinement as a combination of tangible (team loyalty, merchandise, etc.) and intangible (team reputation, pride, legacy) value. Make no mistake, however, if forced to tell the truth, both teams and their owners would gladly turn the clock back, make a trade, or forego the respective extensions altogether, if they had the chance. Seeing these men enter the HOF with another cap would be just fine when balanced against over $357 million, wasted seasons, and missed opportunities.